Closure operator



July 7, 1936. E. F. ARNDT 2,046,441

CLOSURE OPERATOR Filed June 7, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y N FN @x l V E) l l 1,/ Inventor Z'yzfz r'zd,

ByMw/h A ttorney `Iuly 7, 1936.

E. F. ARNDT CLOSURE OPERATOR Filed June '7, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet By @amm/52% A Homey Patented July 7, 1936 iJNiTEo slTATEs rATENT OFFICE;

2,046,441 oLosURE OPERATOR Ervin Fred Arndt, Tinley Park, lll. Application June 7, 1935,'seriaxNo. 25,508 2 claims. (o1. 268-41) This invention relates to the class of closure operators and an object of the invention is to provide eflicient means whereby a door maybe moved to an open position through the medium of suitable mechanism upon the depressing'of a treadle or platform arranged at either or both sides of thedoor. v

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved door Voperating mechanism applicable for use in conjunction with garage doors, doors of any suitable type of building or for operating the door or gate forming part of an enclosure for live stock or poultry. Further it is an object ofthe invention to provide a door f operating mechanism of such simple construction, and economy Of parts, that the same may be used for operating the door .of a game trap or of a cage for birds or animals. Y

The invention together withits objects Vand advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure .1; is a view for the most part in elevation illustrating the application of the invention and showing the parts in open position.V

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1 with the door in closed position.

Figure 3 is a verticalv detailed sectional View taken at right angles to Figure 2 and illustrating certain details hereinafter more fully referred to.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional View through the platform.

Figure 5 is a view showing in top plan view the structure shown in Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that 5 indicates generally a front wall structure provided with a doorway or opening and at one side of the doorway 6 the wall is hollow to accommodate a door 'I when the latter is in open position.

The door 'l is of the sliding type and is suspended by brackets 8 equipped with rollers 9 slidable on a rail S53 that extends across the top of the doorway 6 as shown.

Suitably and pivotally mounted within the wall 5 a suitable distance away from the doorway 6 and as indicated generally at II is a substanti lly L-shaped link I2 which at one end is pivotally connected through the medium of a link I3 with an upper corner oi the door 'I as shown in Figure l. The other and shorter arm of the lever 2 is pivotally connected through the medium of a link Iii with a second link I5 pivotally mounted within the wall as at I6. The link I5 in turn is connected by a link I6 With a treadle bar I'l pivotally mounted at I8 adjacent one side of'a runway indicated generally by the reference numeral I9. Y

In the present instance the runway I9 extends through the doorway 6 from the outer side to '5' the interior of the building and is in `theform of an elongated trough through one side of which extends and operates the treadle Il.

Pivotally mounted between the sides of the troughV of the runway, in the present instance 10 both interiorly and eXteriorly of the building are platforms Y 2B. The platforms 20 are pivoted at the ends thereof nearest to the doorway by rods 2l. The platforms 20 are normally retained in a, substantially level condition 15 through the medium of pairs -of spaced springs 22 suitably anchored at their'lower ends'V to the bottom of the trough of the runway and suitably connected at their upper ends to an angle bar 23 Y secured to the underside `oi a platform and 20 extending transversely thereof as best shown in Figures 4 and 5. I

Secured toi an intermediate portion ofY each of the angle bars 23 is a rocker 'arm 24 pivoted within the trough-ofV the runway f through V,the 25 medium of a rod 25. The ends of the treadle bar terminating within the trough of the runway I9 is forked to provide divergently extending arms I la engaging the free ends ofthe arms 24 `as shown in Figures 4 and 5. 30

For normally urging the door 'l to a closed position is a spring 26 anchored at one end immediately adjacent the doorway 6 and at its opposite end secured to an intermediate portion of an arm of the lever I2 as best shown in Fig- 35 ures 1 and 2. The spring 26 normally urges the lever I2 to swing in a clockwise direction for y moving the door 7 to a closed position across the v doorway 6.

vthe lever I2A causing the latter to swing in a 50 counter-clockwise direction against the action of spring 26 resulting in a sliding of the door from the closed position shown in Figure 2 toA the open position shown in Figure 1. Obviously when the weight is removed from the depressed 55 platform, the latter under action Vof springs 22 will swing upwardly to a substantially level posi- Y tion causing a reversal ofthe operation just described and resulting in a sliding movement of the door 1 to a closed position across the doorway Ii.4 Y Y To secure the platform 20 against being depressed an amount suflcient and required to operate the door 1 when the latter is in closed position, there is provided a suitable mechanism consisting of a shaft 21 rockably mounted transversely of the trough of the runway as shown in Figures 4 and 5.V Provided on the shaft V21 Y at spaced Vpoints are stop arms or abutments 21aV that are adapted to'be swung upwardlyto a Vertical position to limit downwardmovement of the platform 20 in responseto a Weight thereon andthereby prevent anV opening of. the ,closedr door 1. For operating the shaft 21 there is provided at one Vside of the runway, a Ypivotally mounted lever Y2,8 connected through the mediumV one internallyV and one externally of the buildy ing, it will be understoodvthat where desired but Y a single platform may be` used as for example, -when themechanismis made use of foroperating* the Vdoor of an animal enclosure, a trap, or othersuitable structure or enclosure. t

j Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

a sliding door, an. L-shaped pivotally vmounted lever, link means connecting the'free end of the longer arm of said L-shaped lever with an upper corner of the door for transmitting movement of the lever to the door for moving the latter to l. VIn a closure operator, the-combination with either an openedor closed position optionally, a pivotally mounted treadle bar, a pivotally mounted arm, link means connecting each free Y end of the arm Withthe free end of the L-shapedV lever andthe treadle bar, a pivotally mountedVY platform, a vertically disposed coil spring re-V siliently supporting the free end of the-platform,

and being rdisposed beneath said platform, a pivotally mounted arm beneath said platform,

one'end of said arm being disposed between theVV upper end of the coil spring and the lower side of the platform, the other end of said arm, co-

operating with the treadle for actuating the same. t .Y Y Y I 2. In a closure operator, the combination with n, a` sliding door, an L-shapedpivotally mountedV lever, vlink means connecting the free end ofthe longer Varm of said L-shaped lever with an upper corner of the door for transmitting Vmovement of lthe Vlever'to the door for moving the latterto either an opened or 'closed position optionally, a pivotally mounted treadle bar, a pivotallyV mounted arm, link means connecting each free end of thearm with the free end of the L-'shaped leverfand the treadle bar, aV pivotally mounted platforma vertically` disposed coil `spring resiliently supporting the free end of. the platform,

and being Adisposed beneathv said platform, 'aY

pivotally mountedrarm beneath said platform, oneendV of said arm'being disposed between the upper end of` the coil spring and the lower side of the platform, the other end of said arm, co-

operating with the treadle', for actuating *the*V same, and. a horizontallyl disposed.rotatab ly'3" mounted shaftY beneath the free Vend of said platform, havingv laterally extending arms adapted in a verticalposition to abut the underside of the platform to prevent theY same from being moved to a lowered position', alink connected Y 40'V to said shaft, and means for operating said link ,tojmovefthe arm to an operative or an inoperative position with respect to the platform to prevent the lowering of the same.

Y ERVIN FRED ARNDT. 

